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Post subject: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 1:31 am
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Hello, I have an 2016 elite strat and I am having some difficulties. The guitar took a great set up from a luthier but I seriously messed it up, it is holiday over here so can't find a luthier. Present problem is: I can't get the bridge flush with the body. I tighten the screws at the back _tighten the springs that is , but the problem is where the pivot screws are. No matter what I did to them I couldn't get the front end of the bridge flush with the body, it is standing pretty high. I mean I am getting a decked trem rather than floating, there is no problem there. I am saying the bridge plate doesn't get decked onto the body in the front. Sorry I can't present pictures. Let me know if you have any ideas for me. thanks...


Last edited by bipbip on Wed Jul 06, 2016 4:17 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 1:59 am
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1- Never turn the pivot screws without loosening all strings and tremolo springs under the guitar body.
Strings and spring pressure can ruin the bridge where is pivot screws and tremolo will not work well anymore.

2- To bring bridge flush to the body ; I understand you want the bridge "Eric Clapton Style " ? You want the bridge in contact with the body ?

Yes ?

1- Lossen all strings and tremolo 2 springs screws
2- Turn both pivot screws to bring the bridge flat ( flush ) to the body.
3- Turn spring screw to make pressure on the springs

If you luthier set your guitar like that before you mess it :lol: , he adjust neck bow , action and intonnation.


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:37 am
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I am sorry to say, I did all that and screw the pivots alll the way down and it doesn't become flush.. İt all started me putting a small piece of wood under the bridge on one side to keep it up steady, so I would adjust the trem arm tightness. the bridge became unbalanced the upper side getting higher... Now both sides are balanced butit doesn't get flush with the body by adjusting the pivots. How do I know if I damaged the bridge or pivots and what to do?


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:48 am
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You must know what you are doing before set up a guitar.

1- I don't understand what you want
or
2- You do some mistake in set -up.


Can't help more.


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:50 am
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Alright thanks anyway, maybe someone else does...


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 3:15 am
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Picture of your bridge may help.

I don't understand why you can't turn down pivot screw.
That is what the luthier do ?

Or the screw are full down but you mess up the bridge ? Without seing the bridge it will not be easy to help you


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 3:34 am
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You are right it is hard without a picture.... I dismembered everything including the springs at the back this morning. Screwed the pivots all the way down, but the bridge doesn't becaome aflush with the body. On the back it does when I adjust the springs, set them tighter, but not in the front. There is a tiny bit of space left between the body and the bridge. I am concerned that I may have damaged the bridge or the pivots. This is all I can tell to describe the situation. The guitar is playing alrigh by the way, not perfect action a little high but it holds tune and tremolo is working. Don't bother if it wont work without a picture, thanks for trying.


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 5:09 am
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Bridge where are the pivot screws should look like a blade.
Blade should look "sharp".
If sharp, there is no damage to the brige.

Did your luthier set the bridge flush to the body before ?


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 5:35 am
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Yes he decked the back of the bridge to the body... there are no problems with that it is almost decked the way I adjusted it too. I don't know how it was on the other side of the bridge, where the pivots hold.. I think it was decked all the way on both sides... Let me put it like this: between the bridge plate and the pickguard there is enough space for a guitar pick to go through, and I couldn't fix that by adjusting the pivot screws.


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 5:49 am
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If you can lower down pivot screws to have the front bridge down to the body, it is not a rocket science. Your luthier can't.
Your screws are too long or something is in the hole to stop screw , wood scrap or ......?
Remove screws, look in the hole, take reading how long are the screw and how is the hole. Is it deep enough ?

Don't forget to loossening or removing all tremolo springs.

The pivot screws are bolts and the hole in the body are nuts , It is not a rocket science. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 8:59 am
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Man I would like to think so too, but obviously Fender thought about that better...Hope I didn't do to the pivots anything irreparable...


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:36 am
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Two vague guesses:
You may have loosened the trem post bushing(s) with that trem arm/wood wedge operation, so when you tighten the post screws the bushings move up in the hole. (The Deluxe/Elite trem has a screw in the trem block for tightening the arm movement, plus another to control the spring clip adjusting the 'pop-in force'...)
Or there is something (piece of wood, portion of pickguard...) under the trem plate, preventing it from going down - screwing against that may also have loosened the bushing(s).

But as st52 said, pics would help the diagnose. Anyway, I'm sure your tech/luthier can fix it properly.


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 1:32 am
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He write he can't sent pictures :(

No camera or don't know how post on the forum ?


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 1:34 am
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Thanks I don't quite understand the details but I am sure it is not the latter. I hope you are right and it is a fixable thing. This is quite an amazing instrument I love it.
I don't have a camera sorry.


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Post subject: Re: strat bridge adjustment problem
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 1:42 am
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Sure it is fixable :)

No camera on your PC ?
Camera must be your next purchase.

I have a nice little camera I can ship to you for the price of the postage .
A Nikon Coolpix S9 I don't use.
Where do you live, wich country ?


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